Donington architect on track changes

Peter Wahl ?σΤιΌΤΗ£ the architect who has worked extensively on the Donington Park redevelopment project ?σΤιΌΤΗ£ has promised that the new circuit, which will host the British F1 Grand Prix for a decade from July 2010, will present overtaking and excitement together with technical challenges for drivers and teams.

Tilke, the German concern in which Peter is a partner, has designed most of the world?σΤιΌΤδσs newest circuits. However, Donington Park is the company?σΤιΌΤδσs first project in England. On a visit to the parkland circuit last week, Peter described his work on the project as very exciting because the ?σΤιΌ?τcircuit has to include the best of the old with the new.

?σΤιΌ?τDonington presented a big challenge ?σΤιΌΤΗ£ there are the big spectator banks, the tradition of the flowing downhill section at Craner Curves to the Old Hairpin, the racing through what is like a country garden, but then we have to provide the new sections.?σΤιΌ?Ψ

The existing circuit from Redgate to McLeans remain unchanged, but Coppice Corner will the tightened going into the 1001 metre straight ?σΤιΌΤΗ£ one of the longest in the championship, which stretches through to the Melbourne Hairpin.

?σΤιΌ?τThe long straight will be very fast, but then it goes into a slow hairpin and I believe that will create the perfect overtaking place, and that is what we need, more overtaking, more excitement,?σΤιΌ?Ψ added Wahl.

?σΤιΌ?τThere is the new piece on the circuit infield, and that will be demanding and exciting. It goes downhill steeply and into a left-hander ?σΤιΌΤΗ£ the drivers will feel the high pressure there, and then they will have to accelerate back uphill. It will be technically very demanding for everyone.?σΤιΌ?Ψ

The design of the circuit has been handled by Wahl and his partner Herman Tilke: ?σΤιΌ?τWe had a lot of fun ?σΤιΌΤΗ£ Herman is a racing driver so we added many features and are confident that the new circuit will be very good. It has been a task for us to maintain the tradition of the circuit with the necessary new designs but we have done it in such a way that it will be as interesting as when Ayrton Senna won the 1993 Grand Prix of Europe there in 1993, and that was the best race ever.?σΤιΌ?Ψ

Wahl had flown in to the adjacent East Mildands Airport to check progress on the ?ι?ϊ100m project which was given planning permission last month, and noted that works on the ?ι?ϊ750,000 tunnel to provide ready access to the infield area pits and paddock complex at all times was nearing completion while works to carefully remove the Dunlop Bridge ?σΤιΌΤΗ£ necessary given the re-alignment of the circuit ?σΤιΌΤΗ£ were in hand.

?σΤιΌ?τI am confident that everything will be delivered on time ?σΤιΌΤΗ£ we Germans and British have a similar mentality when it comes to doing things and Simon Gillett (the chief executive of the circuit) is good ?σΤιΌΤΗ£ we have a friendship and have worked strongly together. Donington Park knows how to handle lots of people having the MotoGP here and the airport being so close gives good access.?σΤιΌ?Ψ

Works, despite the recent bad weather, are on schedule to deliver Britain?σΤιΌΤδσs newest Grand Prix circuit in good time for the July 2010 hosting of the British F1 Grand Prix.